Weatherman Umbrella wants to be the “Yeti for umbrellas,” says Tyler Kupper, chief revenue officer, and partner of the brand.
“We’re trying to disrupt this category that’s never had a high quality, durable product,” Tyler says.
The brand’s “green perspective” is to create a product that lasts a lifetime. To that end, the company’s return rate is 0.1 percent, he says.
Tyler’s career path took some unlikely turns along the way. After college, he began working in the sports and media entertainment field but had trouble making ends meet. On the side, he launched a company that delivered and set up Christmas trees. After doing a national TV pitch one day, a weatherman pulled him aside and asked for his help creating a high-quality umbrella.
The pair broke apart hundreds of umbrellas to uncover their weak spots. Improvements with the Weatherman Umbrella model include a better rubber grip, reinforced ribs, and reflective piping along the entire umbrella to improve visibility.
Aside from the product’s lifespan, sustainability is a primary goal of the brand, Tyler says. That means using cardboard instead of plastic with packaging.
“Some of these decisions are tough to make, but they’re the right decisions,” he says. “It will give that consumer some more confidence to invest in the product.”
In Part 1, Tyler talks about:
* Gratitude for a high school soccer coach for instilling values into him.
* His perspective on creating a “green” product.
* His career path and story of helping create the brand.
* The process of creating a new umbrella.
* How the umbrella is marketed.
* The focus on sustainability.
Join Ramon Vela and Tyler Kupper as they break down the inside story on The Story of a Brand.
For more on Weatherman Umbrella, visit: https://www.weathermanumbrella.com/
This episode is brought to you by Mercury.
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